"Can't wait to cheer you on every step": Hailey Van Lith's Olympic teammate Cierra Burdick sends birthday wish for the TCU commit

Hailey Van Lith turned 23 on Monday, and her friends and teammates joined in sending her birthday wishes on Instagram. The guard reposted the messages to her IG story, and one of them was from her Olympics 3x3 teammate Cierra Burdick.

Sharing a photo from their time playing together at the Paris Olympics in July, Burdick wrote:

"Happy Birthday, H! Grateful for the bond we've built the last three years. I know this next trip around the sun will be your best one yet. Can't wait to cheer you on every step of the way."

Cierra Burdick and Cameron Brink's Instagram story (Credit: Instagram/@haileyvanlith )

Cierra Burdick was not the only 3x3 teammate to wish Van Lith on her birthday, as Cameron Brink also chimed in, writing:

"Happy birthday to my left hand. love uuu."

Brink was selected to join Burdick and Van Lith at the 2024 Olympics, but an ACL injury in June has put her out of action for this year. She has undergone surgery and is on her way to rehabilitation with a return to playing next season.

Hailey Van Lith, meanwhile, is preparing for her fifth and final college season with the TCU Horned Frogs. She had an incredible summer that saw her become an Olympic medalist, winning bronze with Team USA at the 3x3 basketball event.

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Hailey Van Lith explains why she chose college over WNBA

Hailey Van Lith spent three years with the Louisville Cardinals before moving to LSU for her senior season.

She averaged 15.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.3 steals during her time with the Cardinals. Van Lith's move to Baton Rouge was her attempt at having a shot at winning an NCAA championship.

However, things didn't go as planned, as the guard's production fell with the Tigers, and she struggled to find her place in the team. While she had the option of moving to the WNBA, Van Lith stayed in college, opting to transfer to TCU.

In an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Hailey Van Lith shared that the WNBA was always the goal but she wanted to give college basketball another shot.

“I did think about it and that’s what I wanted to do," Van Lith said. "That’s always been my dream, is four years in college. I didn’t want to take that fifth year. I think I was ready for that next level; the more I talked to people around the league and people who know me really well, there is no reason to rush.

“I wanted a year of college where I loved where I was at, and I loved who I was around, and I loved who I was when I was there.”

With her playing the final college eligibility year, it's crucial for the guard to put up the same numbers she did at Louisville if she hopes to make the cut at the 2025 WNBA draft.

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What are your predictions for Hailey Van Lith in the upcoming season? Let's know in the comments section below: